Subscriber question:
"How about addressing the proper procedure for executing a missed approach once you've begun to circle for landing off an instrument approach."— Dale A.
Wally:
“The first step in a missed approach is proceeding to the missed approach point and then complying with the procedure. So what do you do when the missed approach point is somewhere behind the airplane?
Depending on the aircraft approach category, our protected area at MDA can be as little as 1.3 NM from the airport runways. So, the first move is turning toward the landing runway as we begin our climb. That should keep us within the protected area. Once we’ve established that turn and a climb, we can capture the published missed approach course or heading. Conveniently, this is what the Aeronautical Information Manual says to do as well.
Obstruction clearance on a missed approach is based upon a climb rate of at least 200 feet per nautical mile—from the missed approach point. While we circle back toward the missed approach point, we also gain altitude before leaving the circling approach protected area. Don’t forget, that’s 200 feet per mile, not per minute. The higher the speed, the greater the climb rate required.
This procedure is so different from the missed approaches normally practiced in training that it can be confusing and disorienting. I’ve seen pilots make serious mistakes trying this in training.
One way to avoid those mistakes is to pre-plan your traffic pattern for the circle-to-land and missed approach initial turn and climb using the airport diagram. It’s right there in the lower left of the approach chart. If you try to figure this out while circling under low ceilings and in bad visibility, you’re setting yourself up to become an NTSB statistic.”
Suggest adding a picture from KAIK VOR/DME – A or similar.
